Thede (2003) defines telehealth as using electronic communications for transmitting healthcare information such as health promotion, disease prevention, professional or lay education, diagnosis or actual treatment to people located at a different geographical location.
After reading the attached article
http://www.telemedtoday.com/articles/Telehomenurse.shtmlit is surprising that we do not experience many or any of these “video” visits being made in our communities.
As a homecare supervisor, I am able to speculate how telehealth could benefit my staff and our patients. Closer monitoring of chronically ill patients would allow for medical interventions sooner in an exacerbation, possibly preventing or decreasing Emergency Room visits or re-hospitalizations. Fewer trips to the hospital would save Medicare, Medicaid and Insurance companies’ money. Stressors of short staffing are alleviated as each nurse could visit more patients per day via video. Nurses would decrease the number of miles they drive in a day resulting in less mileage reimbursement paid by agencies and less money spent for gas by nurses. Less time traveling, results in more time spent with patients.
I am however, in the early stages of my research. I do not know how costly telehealth may be to install. I am not sure how long it will take a telehealth installation to pay for itself or how long before any telehealth system needs to be upgraded due to advances in technology.
Please comment on any of the following aspects of telehealth:
- Telehealth and Nurse retention
- Telehealth and the Nursing shortage
- Telehealth and use with chronic diseases: COPD, CHF, Diabetes, etc.
- Telehealth and specific populations: rural communities, homebound patients
- Legal considerations for nurses practicing in a telehealth setting
- Cost effectiveness of telehealth. Reimbursement from primary and secondary payers
- Telehealth and disaster care
- Telehealth and patient safety
- Patient privacy, data security and telehealth
Your comments will help me to possibly have a better understanding as to why telehealth is not being used in our communities.
7 comments:
Telenursing is one of the emerging roles in information technology. It extends nursing capabilities to provide care for patients in rural or remote areas where there is a shortage of physicians. I do agree that it would provide early intervention and hence prevent catastrophic patient outcome. This capability would require the nurse to be technologically savvy.
Nice blog, Ann!
Acrane - What an interesting topic. This certainly can be a useful tool in the homecare setting. The draw of a nursing visit being a phone call away! The potential for this technology seems endless. I look forward to hearing more. Your blog is really good. Andrea
Great job on your blog. This topic is one we will explore more later on in the course. Thanks for the link. KK
What a great topic. Telehealth can be used in a variety of settings, allowing patient's to obtain information & education. I agree with your points. It would greatly reduce the unnecessary visits to the emergency departments. I am looking forward to learning more about Telehealth. Great design.
I think telehealth is a tremendous assess to the healthcare field. It can provide information to patients in an emergency and to people who have the need for health informantion with limited access to healthcare facilities.However, the patient to whom this service is being provided must be educated on how to use this system and also feedback on their understanding is critical. There has to be a backup plan for when the system is down and other ways for them to get the necessary care in times of need.
Telenursing is a very important aspect of Information Technology in health care. Telenuring could save lives. It could give patients access to medical advice and changes in treatment much faster. This would decrease cost of unnecessary hospital stays and alleviate stress for patients and their families.
Our agency will be starting a telehealth program in the Long Term in 2009. Hopefully we can use yourideas and knowledge toensure the success of this program.
Nance,RN
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